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Tag Archives: Holy Land
Lucy and the Light of the World
I think of the long aperture of a camera taking pictures of the night; instant to instant, our eyes see only the tiniest pinpricks in the darkness, but left open to the sky, the camera is able to absorb and interpret those tiny messages into images of great light and beauty; images of hope. Continue reading
Posted in advent meditations, holy days, homily, lectionary reflection, sermon
Tagged Bethlehem, Desmond Tutu, Holy Land, John 1:9-14, John Donne, light, light of the world, manger, Saint Lucy, war
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John, the post-traumatic prophet
My first Advent as a priest was the season of Sandy Hook. That Sunday the Gospel was about John. I realized that he must have grown up in the shadow of that massacre of innocents committed by Herod; although he, like his cousin, escaped, it would leave its mark on his parents and his small self.
I find myself this Advent once again, for obvious reasons, contemplating post-traumatic John the Baptist, his infant self and all that imprinted itself upon him through the coming of the Christ child and the world’s unwillingness to accept the angels’ proclamation of peace upon the earth.
#preparingforSundaywithpoetry Continue reading
Dressed for a wedding or a war
A sermon for 15 October 2023, on Year A Proper 23 readings Matthew 22:1-14, Philippians 4:1-9, Exodus 32:1-14, at the Church of the Epiphany, Euclid, Ohio Paul writes, Beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, … Continue reading
Stand up for Advent
Do not become consumed by signs of turmoil. Stand up. Raise your heads. Give voice to the gospel. Expect God. Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, sermon
Tagged Advent, Bethlehem, climate change, gospel, gun violence, Holy Land, immigration, Luke 21:25-36, St Nicholas, Year C Advent 1
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Olive branches over ordnance
The olive trees, ancient and observant, hearing the blood that cries out from the land, whisper that the answer to Cain’s crime cannot be to take the hoe from his hand and hand him an AR-15. Continue reading
Posted in current events, gun violence, story
Tagged Cain and Abel, Holy Land, mass shooting, olive branch, orange stole
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Trust
A man whose last name we didn’t know, whom we had met last night, pointed out a narrowing canyon and said, “Walk that way. I’ll meet you on the other side.” Continue reading
Posted in spiritual autobiography, story
Tagged Holy Land, Jordan, sabbatical, Wadi Rum
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Dead Sea Prayer
Floating in brine designed not for propagating but for pickling; Suspended between peace and petrification, love and devotion. When will your waters break afresh, bringing a new creation to its first astonished breath?
Fear of God
I am a professional at proclaiming the promises of God. I make excuses not to put God to the test. Continue reading
Posted in spiritual autobiography, story
Tagged Holy Land, Jerusalem, pilgrimage, sabbatical
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Hospitality – 2: guest vs host
This week, I read in the blog of a friend, who’s spending his sabbatical in the Holy Land during the holy month of Ramadan, the following nugget: An-Najah is a half-mile walk past Rafidia, so after church I had a nice … Continue reading
Posted in other words
Tagged guests, Holy Land, hospitality, hosts, Ramadan, sabbatical, St Peter's Episcopal Church, travel
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over the water 